Resurfacing apparatus



Aug. 10, 1965 c. N. DICKEY RESURFACING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 7, 1960 .7 Me me Z W M w w w J WW 1965 c. N. DICKEY 3,199,423

RESURFACING APPARATUS Filed June 7, 1960 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 RESURFACING APPARATUS Filed June 7, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 C 12171 5 A! Jib/fa United States Patent C) 3,199,423 RESURFACENG APPARATUS Charles N. Dickey, 9826 Auburudale, Livonia, Mich. Filed June 7, 1960, Ser. No. 34,543 2 Claims. (CI. 94-44) This invention relates generally to apparatus for surface treating roads, parking lots, and the like, and more particularly to improved apparatus for spreading bituminous material and aggregate on such surfaces.

One of the most satisfactory processes for surface treating roads and the like to provide a new wearing surface is to first cover the road with a heated liquid bituminous material following which aggregate or cover stone is embedded in the bituminous material. Such a process is commonly referred to as seal coating. In general, any of the standard asphalt cements, liquid asphalts, tars or emulsions can be used as the seal material. One example of a satisfactory aggregate is a crushed limestone of a size which will pass through a five-eighths inch screen. There are two requirements to a successful surface treatment. First, the bituminous material or asphalt binder should be sufiiciently fluid at the time the cover aggregate is applied to permit partial embedment of each aggregate particle in the asphalt. Second, the asphalt must set up or become sufiiciently viscous to hold the cover aggregate in place after the road is opened to traific.

Heretofore, this process has been largely practiced by using a tank truck for spreading the bituminous material on the road to be re-surfaced, and a dump truck then is driven in reverse behind the tank truck so as to spread the aggregate on the bituminous material ahead of the dump truck wheels. This method is objectionable because of the difficulty in coordinating the movements of the trucks to provide a surface treatment which will meet the above requirements and obtain a uniform layer of aggregate which is uniformly embedded in the bituminous material. The principal object of this invention, therefore, is to provide in combination with a conventional tank truck for the bituminous material, means drawn by the truck for depositing a uniform layer of aggregate on the bituminous material immediately following application of the bituminous material to the road surface, whereby the aggregate is applied to the bituminous material while this material is in a fluid condition and before any setup of the bituminous material has taken place, to insure a uniform embedment of the aggregate in the bituminous material.

In one embodiment of the invention, this is accomplished by attaching a dolly provided with a conventional fifth wheel coupler to the rear end of the tank truck. A distributor or sprayer bar is mounted on the dolly rearwardly of the dolly wheels and is connected by suitable hoses or piping to the tank truck for receiving heated bituminous fluid therefrom. A trailer having means for transporting and spreading aggregate is attached to the coupler and has its wheels disposed rearwardly of the discharge opening for the aggregate. In another form of this invention, the fifth wheel coupler and the distributor bar are mounted on a rearward extension of the tank truck frame so as to be an integral part of the frame. In a third form of the invention, a dump type trailer having means at the rear end thereof for spreading aggregate is towed by a conventional tank truck containing the bituminous material. A distributor bar for the bituminous material is connected to the tank truck and is mounted on the trailer at a position rearwardly of the trailer wheels and forwardly of and adjacent the aggregate discharge opening on the trailer.

A further object of this invention is to provide apparatus for re-surfacing roads and the like which is under the control of a single driven vehicle and which utilizes a comi -9,423 Patented Aug. 1Q, 1965 "ice bination of readily available equipment such as bituminous tank trucks and aggregate spreader trailers.

Further objects, features and advantages :of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one form of the resurfacing apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a dolly, having a distributor bar for bituminous material mounted thereon, which forms a part of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another form of the paratus of this invention; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of still another form of the re-surfacing apparatus of this invention.

With reference to the drawing, the re-surfacing apparatus of this invention, indicated generally at 10, is illustrated in FIG. 1 as including a tank truck 12, commonly referred to as a bituminous distributor. The tank truck 12 is of a type in common use and includes a main frame 14, front wheels 16, rear wheels 18, a cab 20, and a storage tank 22 for the bituminous material. Suitable heating means, such as a fuel oil burner (not shown) is provided for maintaining the material in the tank 22 in a fluid condition. The truck 12 is provided with the usual engine, pump and piping assembly 21, the details of which form no part of the present invention, for pumping the heated liquid bituminous material out suitable discharge openings at the rear end of the vehicle. A small road engaging wheel 23 is cable-connected to a tachometer in the cab 20 to indicate road speed in feet per minute so that the operator by comparing this with the usual instruments (not shown) in the cab 29 for indicating the discharge of bituminous material from the pump therefor can control the rate at which bituminous material is applied to the road surface.

The rear end of the truck 12 is provided with suitable means 3% for attaching a dolly 32 to the rear end of the truck 12. The means 30 is illustrated as consisting of a king pin extending between spaced horizontal plates but it may also be in the form of spaced jaws or pintle hooks movable relative to each other. The dolly 32, which is shown in FIG. 2, consists of a main frame 33 provided with wheels 40 and a tongue 34 having a vertically extending opening 36 for receiving the kingpin or the jaws on truck 12. A conventional fifth wheel coupler 42 of a type which is readily available commercially is secured to the top side of the frame 38 so that the usual V-shape opening 44 in the top plate 46 for the coupler 42 is open at the rear side of the frame 38. As a result, when a trailer has its king pin positioned in the slot 44 and the dolly 32 is moved rearwardly relative to the trailer, the king pin is moved into the inner end 48 of the slot 44 and is releasably locked therein by the usual cam hooks 5d. The fifth wheel coupler 42 may be of the type which provides for hydraulically or pneumatically actuated vertical adjustment of the top plate 46 to facilitate quick attachment of the coupler 42 to different trailers. A beam 52 mounted on the main frame 38 at the rear end thereof eX- tends transversely of the frame 38 and supports a pair of parallel link assemblies 54 which are pivotally connected at their inner ends to the beam 52. The outer ends of the link assemblies 54 are pivotally connected to upright brackets 56 which support a distributor or spreader bar 58 for bituminous material which is substantially parallel to the beam 52 and extends transversely of the dolly main frame 38. The distributor bar 58, which is likewise readily available commercially, consists of a tubular member 60 closed at its ends by plates 62 and provided on its underside with discharge nozzles 64. Flexible hoses 66 are connected to the tubular member 6t and to the discharge openings for the bituminous material on the truck 12. Hydraulic cylinder assemblies 68 are suitably connected to the main frame 38 and to the brackets 56 so that they are operable to swing the parallel link assemblies 54 up and down to adjust the vertical position of the distributor bar 53 relative to the road surface.

A conventional V-bottom trailer 70 having a body 72 and wheels 74 is attached to the dolly 32 by moving the dolly 32 rearwardly so that the king pin (not shown) on the tongue 76 at tie front end of the trailer '70 is moved into the slot in the fifth wheel coupler 42 to a position in which the cam hooks Stl releasably lock the king pin to the coupler 4-2. A discharge mechanism 78, which is actuated by movement of the trailer rear Wheels 74, is provided at the lower end of the body 72 for discharging aggregate at a uniform rate from a trough 79 at the lower end of the body '72 over an area which is of a width corresponding substantially to the width of the trailer body 72. This width corresponds substantially to the length of the distributor bar 53 so that the path of the aggregate dispensed from the trailer 70 is of a width corresponding substantially to the width of the path of the bituminous material sprayed onto the road surface from the distributor bar 58.

In the use of the apparatus 10, the tank 22 on the truck 12 is filled with a suitable bituminous material and the body 72 of the trailer 7% is filled with a suitable aggregate. The truck 12 is then driven along the road surface which is to be resurfaced and the truck operator manipulates suitable controls (not shown) in the cab 20 to provide for a flow of heated liquid bituminous material from the tank 22 through the flexible conduits 66 to the distributor bar 53 so that this material is applied in the desired heated condition and in desired amounts to the road surface. The hydraulic cylinder assemblies 6% are adjusted to position the distributor bar 53 the desired distance above the road surface so as to obtain the required uniform application of the bituminous material to the road surface without splashing and without undue blowing of the material out of the desired path. The discharge mechanism 78 on the trailer 70 is adjusted to provide for a flow of the desired amounts of aggregate from the trough '79 onto the road surface at a position immediately behind the spray bar 53.

It has been found that when the bituminous material is at the proper temperature for spraying, it is also at substantially the correct viscosity for embedment of the aggregate therein. However, since the road surface on which the bituminous material is deposited is usually at a temperature considerably lower than the spraying temperature of the bituminous material, the material chills almost immediately upon hitting the road surface. For this reason, improved results are obtained with the apparatus it because the aggregate is applied to the road surface immediately after the application of the bituminous material and a uniform embedment of the aggregate is obtained by maintaining the point at which the aggregate is applied to the road surface a fixed distance behind the distributor bar for the bituminous material. The use of a distributor truck 12 with a trailer 70 of substantial capacity makes it possible to rapidly resurface substantial areas of road surface. Because the wheels 74 on the trailer 70 are behind the aggregate discharge trough 79, they do not interfere with the application of the aggregate to the layer of bituminous material on the road surface.

In FIG. 3, another form of the resurfacing apparatus of this invention is illustrated and designated generally by the numeral 1%. Since the apparatus lltla is similar in many respects to the apparatus 10 previously described, like numerals with the letter suifix a are used on the apparatus the! to indicate like parts on the apparatus lltl. In the apparatus Ma, the tank truck 12a is provided with a dolly in the form of a rearwardly extending frame extension 86 which is an integral part of the truck main frame 14:: and is provided with the additional support of a pair of rear wheels 32. A fifth wheel coupler 42a is mounted on the frame extension 53% in the same manner that the fifth wheel coupler is mounted on the main frame 38 of the dolly A frame member 52a extends across the rear end of the frame and carries a pair of parallel link assemblies (only one of which is shown) which are movable up and down by a pair of hydraulic cylinder assemblies 63a to raise and lower a distributor bar 58a secured to and extended between the rear ends of the parallel link assemblies 54a. The distributor bar 58a is connected by hoses 66a to the tank 22a so as to receive a supply of heated liquid bituminous material therefrom. A V-bottom trailer 76a is attached to the fifth wheel coupler 42a in the same manner that the trailer 7% previously described is attached to the fifth wheel coupler 42 in the assembly iii.

Th apparatus ltla is operated in the same manner that the apparatus ltl is operated so as to utilize the distributor bar 58a for applying a uniform layer of liquid bituminous material to the road surface and to apply aggregate from the trailer 79a to the road surface at a fixed distance behind the spray bar 53a. With this arrangement a uniform embediment of the aggregate in the bituminous material is assured.

Still another form of the resurfacing apparatus of this invention, indicated generally at fill), is illustrated in FIG. 4. Since the apparatus ltlb is likewise similar to the apparatus it like numerals with the letter sufix b are used on the apparatus ltlb to indicate like parts on the apparatus 1%. The apparatus 1% includes a tank truck 1212 which is similar in all respects to tank truck 12 previously described. In the apparatus llllb, the king pin attaching means 3% is used for connecting the tongue 9-0 on a dump trailer, indicated generally at 92, to the rear end of the truck 12b. The trailer 92 is of a type which is also readily available commercially and includes a main frame 94 provided with front wheels @6, rear wheels 93, and a body 1104 which is hingedly mounted adjacent its rear end on the frame 94. The body can be tipped upwardly and rearwardly relative to the main frame 94 by operation of a hydraulic cylinder assembly 102 mounted on the frame 94 and connected to the body 1% at a position forwardly of the hinge connection of the body 11% to the frame 94. A tailgate mechanism 104 on the rear end of the body 1% is operable to discharge aggregate from the lower end 106 of the tailgate mechanism we at a uniform rate and in a stream which is of a width corresponding to the width of the tailgate mechanism MM.

The rear end of the trailer body 94 has a transversely extending beam 52b mounted thereon which supports a pair of parallel link assemblies 54b, only one of which is shown, which are swingable up and down by operation of hydraulic cylinder assemblies 681). The beam 52b is carried on the lower ends of upright hangers Iltll (only one of which is shown), each of which is provided at its upper end with an inwardly directed V-bracket 103 which is telescoped within a beam on trailer frame 94 and removably held therein by a removable pin W7. A distributor bar 58b is connected to and extended between the rear ends of the parallel link assemblies 54b which are operable to position the distributor bar 581) a desired distance above the ground surface. Suitable flexible hoses 66b extend between the discharge openings 169 for the truck tank 22b and the distributor bar 58b for supplying heated liquid bituminous material from the tank to the distributor bar. Brackets lllll support the hoses 66b on frame 94. The distributor bar 531) is located behind the rear wheels @3 of the trailer 94- and forwardly of and adjacent the aggregate discharged from the lower end of the tailgate assembly 14M. As a result, the aggregate from the discharge opening 54 is applied to the bituminous material immediately following the deposit of this material on the road surface and at a fixed distance behind the point of deposit of this material on the road surface. Consequently, a unifrom embodiment of the aggregate in the bituminous material is insured before set up of the bituminous material has taken place. When the pins 107 are removed, the distribution bar 58b and the hoses 66b are readily removed from trailer 92 so that another trailer 92 can be substituted.

If desired, the truck 12a with the fifth wheel coupler diet may be used with a two-wheel trailer like the dump trailer 92 equipped with the distributor bar 581) and the tailgate mechanism 104.

In all of the above described forms of the re-surfacing apparatus of this invention, the apparatus consists of a train of vehicles which includes a tank truck and a trailer and a distributor bar 58 and aggregate discharge means which are located so that the aggregate is deposited on the bituminous material within seconds after application of the bituminous material to the road surface. The bituminous material is uniformly applied to the road surface and the aggregate is uniformly applied to the layer of bituminous material by locating the aggregate applying means a fixed distance behind the distributor bar for the bituminous material. By assembling the apparatus of this invention so that both the bituminous distributor bar and the aggregate applying means are under the control of a single vehicle, namely, the tank truck, the fixed relationship of the distributor bar and the aggregate applying means is maintained. Furthermore, the tank truck and the .trailers which are used for aggregate have sufiicient capacity to enable the operators to re-surface a substantial area without refilling.

The bituminous material and aggregate discharge means are located so that none of the road wheels in the train are interposed therebetween to interfere with the uniform layer of bituminous material. Rolling of the road surface after application of the aggregate is desirable. The purpose of rolling is to seat the aggregate in the bitumen and thus develop the bond between aggregate and bitumen which is necessary to resist the traffic stresses. Pneumatic or similar rollers may be used or the trafiic on the road may be relied upon for rolling.

A primer coat should be applied to an open or porous road surface to densify and bond the surface material so that it will accept the layer of bituminous material without absorbing it. The tank truck 12, 12a or 12b in applicants invention can be readily disconnected, equipped with a distributor bar 58, and used for this purpose if desired, since it has sufiicient capacity to apply a primer coat to a large road surface.

The distributor bar 58 and the aggregate spreading means which follows the bar 53 may be of any desired width, in a direction measured transversely of the road surface, to cover a desired strip of road surface during each trip of the apparatus.

It will be understood that the specific construction of the improved re-surfacing apparatus which is herein disclosed and described is presented for purposes of explanation and illustration and is not intended to indicate limits of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In road re-surfacing apparatus, a trailer dolly adapted to be secured to the rear end of a self-powered tank Vehicle, said dolly including a main frame having road wheels mounted thereon, all of said road wheels having a common axis of rotation, a hollow distributor bar mounted on said frame at a position rearwardly of said road wheels, said distributor bar including discharge means for discharging fluid therein in a direction generally downwardly, means connected to said distributor bar for supplying liquid material thereto from said tank vehicle, a fifth wheel coupler on said main frame for attaching an aggregate storage and dispensing semi-trailer thereto, said fifth wheel coupler including a cou ling plate pivotally mounted on said main frame and having a kingpin receiving slot therein, and detachable means provided on said dolly for connecting it to said self-powered tank vehicle.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said dolly is a trailer and detachable means are provided there on for connecting it to said self-powered tank vehicle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,048,165 12/12 Home et al. 94-44 1,242,558 10/17 Johnston 94-44 1,320,273 10/19 Price 94-44 X 2,682,153 6/54 Fink 61-63 3,026,780 3/62 Stein.

FOREIGN PATENTS 661,336 11/51 Great Britain.

795,538 1/36 France.

993,311 7/51 France.

337,566 5/59 Switzerland.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner.

JACOB SHAPIRO, Examiner. 

1. IN ROAD RE-SURFACING APPARATUS, A TRAILER DOLLY ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO THE REAR END OF A SELF-POWERED TANK VEHICLE, SAID DOLLY INCLUDING A MAIN FRAME HAVING ROAD WHEELS MOUNTED THEREON, ALL OF SAID ROAD WHEELS HAVING A COMMON AXIS OF ROTATION, A HOLLOW DISTRIBUTOR BAR MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME AT A POSITION REARWARDLY OF SAID ROAD WHEELS, SAID DISTRIBUTOR BAR INCLUDING DISCHARGE MEANS FOR DISCHARGING FLUID THEREIN IN A DIRECTION GENERALLY DOWNWARDLY, MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID DISTRIBUTOR BAR FOR SUPPLYING LIQUID MATERIAL THERETO FROM SAID TANK VEHICLE, A FIFTH WHEEL COUPLER ON SAID MAIN FRAME FOR ATTACHING AN AGGREGATE STORAGE AND DISPENSING SEMI-TRAILER THERETO, SAID FIFTH WHEEL COUPLER INCLUDING A COUPLING PLATE PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID MAIN FRAME AND HAVING A KINGPIN RECEIVING SLOT THEREIN, AND DETACHABLE MEANS PROVIDED PIN RECEIVING SLOT THEREIN, AND DETACHABLE MEANS PROVIDED ON SAID DOLLY FOR CONNECTING IT TO SAID SELF-POWERED TANK VEHICLE. 